An early goal in each half paved the way for a resounding 7-0 victory by Feltonmix Metro over Copper Joe's Papatoetoe at Albie Turner Field on May 29, as the Bluebird Premier League reached the halfway mark.
The first half was competitive, to put it mildly. The tackles were flying in thick and fast and Metro, while dishing out a few questionable challenges of their own, were on the receiving end of the majority of same, given they enjoyed the lion's share of possession.
Referee Duncan White, however, was seemingly oblivious to some of the more blatant offences which too place, which inspired a couple of the less tolerant members of the home team to attempt to take matters into their own hands. The official, at one stage, came very close to losing control of the game completely. Thankfully, sanity prevailed.
Early indications all pointed to a comfortable Metro win, particularly after John van Dort pounced in the fourth minute. His first effort was blocked by the legs of Vaughan Couillault, but he made no mistake with the rebound.
'Toe were relying on long balls forward, to exploit the pace of Vishwa Nair and Nick Raoma up front. In the tenth minute, this approach almost paid dividends, Raoma racing down the left and beating the advancing Grant Schofield with his shot. Unfortunately for 'Toe, it was nowhere near the target.
Midst the uncompromising challenges came a cluster of saves from Couillault which kept 'Toe in contention in the first spell. Carl Jorgensen, the outstanding Aaron Beckham and Danny McHenery all had reason to rue the presence of the tall custodian before the interval.
The visitors' best spell came just before the break. They had several close calls - Shaun OI'Mara's clearance of a goalbound Nair effort in the 35th minute being the closest - in the twelve minutes before half-time, while within fifteen seconds of the resumption, a lightning quick raid straight from the kick-off resulted in Grant Schofield twice denying Nick Bland - a lesser goalkeeper would, most likely, have been caught napping.
Metro's second goal began from the resulting goal-kick. Beckham hared off down the left and delivered a fine cross for either McHenery or Steve Nickson to convert. In between them was Jordan Pierce, but his hesitancy in clearing the ball, coupled with Couillault's slow reactions, was all McHenery needed to double Metro's lead.
Suddenly the league leaders hit top gear. Willie Thompson, Stuart Mair, Nickson, Beckham, McHenery and Jorgensen - this a brilliant piece of individual skill which saw him cut in from the left and weave past four players before clipping the most deft of chips over Couillault but against the crossbar - all went close before the hour, but three goals in the next seven minutes finished the game as a contest.
Nigel Curties started and finished the first of these, in the 61st minute. In between times, McHenery and Willie Thompson intervened, and the latter's measured cross saw Curties rise to guide his header beyond Couillault and inside the far post.
Before Metro hit goal number four, however, Nair hit the post after Billy McClure and Bland had combined to good effect. From the clearance, Nickson scampered clear, headed the ball around the advancing Couillault and fired into the back of the net under pressure from Simon Moore.
That goal came in the 66th minute. Barely sixty seconds had elapsed when the scoreboard changed once again. Nickson failed to connect with Mair's high ball forward, but Beckham was backing up, and towards the byline he raced again. A neat pull-back set up McHenery, who rifled home his second, Metro's fifth.
Couillault was to deny Beckham with his legs seconds later, as Metro's best spell of football in one match so far this season reached its peak. This allowed 'Toe to have another little spell of pressure, which, in the 76th minute, saw Schofield take the pace off Andrew Mooney's fiercely struck drive. The sphere careered into the path of Raoma, who somehow contrived to miss an open goal from inside the six yard box.
Metro punished this miss a minute later, Nickson sparking the sixth goal of the night with a super reverse pass to put Beckham in on the left once again. A delightful cross was finished off fittingly, Jorgensen sweeping the ball home.
After Beckham had fired into the sidenetting, he turned provider for Geoff Gray, the substitute punishing Paul Hooper's unpunished use of the elbow on Marc Richards in the best manner possible a minute from time, bringing about the final 7-0 scoreline.

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